Adjustable truck-wheel.



NQ. 240,55s. PATBNTED 00T. 6, 1903* w. EL HAMLToN.

ADJUSBABLB TRUGK WHEEL.

APPLIOATION YILED IAN.' 17, 1903.

jg.. j

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES f Patented October 6, 1903.

y WILLIAM E. HAMILTON, OF ZANESVILLE, OHIO.

ADJUSTABLE TRUCK-WH EEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,558, dated October 6, 1903.

Application led January 17, 1903. Serial No. 139,483. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM E. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Zanesville, in the county of Muskingum and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Truck- Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means whereby the wheel-base of a truck or Wheeled vehicle may be lengthened or shortened, as desired. Its objects are to provide means for the purpose indicated which will be simple and strong in construction, easily operated, and durable and efficient. i j

' It comprises the combination et' a suitable truck-frame with one or more sets of adjustable wheels, the combination with a suitable truck frame of longitudinallyadjustable wheels, means for performing such. adjustment,and means for locking the wheels in adjusted position, and such novel features and details of construction as will be described and claimed hereinafter.

.ln the drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a truck provided with wheel-adjusting mechanism comprising this invention. Fig.V 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the' wheels. adjusted for a short base. Fig. 3 is aA plan view, and Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3 of'Fig. 2 looking inthe direction in# dicated by the arrows.

In railway-trucks adapted to carry operative machines and for other various purposes it is often desirable to have a long wheelbase-as, for instance, when the machine earried is in operation. If such a wheel-base is provided with the wheels rigidly secured to the truck-frame, it is often impossible to run the truck around sharp curves.

With my improved truck the wheels may be'adj usted longitudinally to any desired position, so that a long wheel-base may be provided when desired, and then the wheels brought near together when the truck is being moved and it becomes necessary to pass curves. To this end any suitable truck-frame 1 is provided with ways2, preferably formed by the longitudinal beams 3 and 4. The axle 5, with thewheels 6, is provided with slidable bearings 7, which engage the ways 2 and have flanges Sie prevent disengagement. While in some instances this would be sufficient to form an operable device, I have provided means for adjusting the Wheels along the ways and means whereby the ends of the axle will be caused to move in unison, so that one wheel will not be ahead of the other and out/.of alinement with the frame. I

A shaft I8, having bearings in arms 9, eX- tending from the axle-bearings 7, carries a pair of pinions 10, rigidly secured thereto. These pi'nions engage with racks 11, secured to the beams 8, a preferred arrangement being to have the racks countersunk in grooves lin the under side of the top beams, so that Vthe bearings -7 may pass freely under the same. At either end the shaft 18 is squared to engage with a crank 12,-by means of which it is turned. A lock-pawl 13 on the arm 9 is adapted to lock the pinion in any desired po-V sition. The other set of wheels, le, with their axles and bearings, may also be provided vwith a similar adjustment apparatus; but

this is not illustrated, as it would be simply a duplication of that shown.

The operation of this device is readily understood from the drawings and description. To change the wheel-base, the pawl is disengaged, the crank placed in position, and the shaft 18 turned in the direction desired.

Through theV other devices shown this will cause the axleand wheels to be moved in the direction desired. The cranks may then be removed and the wheels again locked in position by the pawl.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, i-s

l. In combination, a truck-frame, wheels and axles for said frame, and means for ad- IOO wheels again forced back to form an elonl said frame adjacent to each Wheel, bearings gated base, substantially as described. for said axle engaging said ways, arms from 3. In combination, a frame, Wheels and said bearings carrying a shaft parallel to the axles for said frame,ways in said frame, bearaxle, pinions on said axle, racks secured in I5 ings for ,said axles adapted to slide in said the upper beams forming the Ways engaging ways, arms on said bearings, a shaft carried said pinions, a crank for turning the shaft by said arms, pinions on said shaft, racks seand a loek-pawl to engage one of said pinions.

cured to said frame With which the pinions VILLAM E. HAMILTON. engage, and means for turning said shaft. Witnesses: Io 4. In combination, a frame, a pair of Wheels J. F. LINTON,

provided with an axle, longitudinal Ways in O. E. HALTERMAN. 

